Meditation

Meditation has amazing benefits, but it's also capable of unearthing painful memories and general unease, which can be frightening or unnerving. What do you need to know to avoid being blindsided by meditation′s potential negative effects?

It's hard to find stillness in the face of life's ups and downs. Cultivate equanimity by practicing mindfulness meditation and calming breaths.

While experiencing the near-death of his wife, Aadil Palkhivala channeled meditation to release ignorance, ego, and attachment.

Searching for a meaningful mantra to use in your practice? Here are four powerful pieces to get you started.

Here are five ways to be a more authentic leader.

Find freedom by settling into a meditative state with this gentle asana practice.

Former US Navy SEAL Brandon Webb has achieved a lot in the last five years by anyone’s standards and he credits his practice with helping enhance his productivity.

New year, REAL you. If you’re ready to embrace authenticity this year, self-inquiry is a powerful place to start. Yoga teacher Tracee Stanley shows us how.

Check out Jennifer D'Angelo Friedman's author page.

Naam Yoga founder Dr. Joseph Michael Levry will gather thousands of yogis in Mexico City this Sunday to meditate and give hope to those affected by tragedy.

You might want to kickstart this as a regular practice.

Chopra Center Vedic Educator Edie Flaiz teaches the Law of Pure Potentiality by quieting the mind to allow you to directly experience your infinite, unbounded, essential nature.

“Yogic sleep” can be even more effective than regular sleep.

Adulting is hard, but so is kid-ing. In fact, kids are more stressed than ever. Meditation can give them perspective on their thoughts and feelings the same way it does for us. Try this practice from yoga teacher and author Susan Verde with your child.

School starts and work begins to pick up after the summer ends. Here are some tips to stay centered, grounded, and joyful.

There is power in getting in touch with our hearts through meditation; but we can never think our way into this connection. We have to humble and quiet the arrogant brain and speak the heart’s language.

Still dread back-to-school time? Try these tips and a guided practice with Coby Kozlowski to break free of your end-of-summer blues.

Children have a natural proclivity for letting go of distractions and being in the moment. Teaching them how to harness it offers them access to their own resiliency, which they can use throughout their lives.

If you’d love to write but something’s holding you back, follow Elena Brower’s tips for finding your flow.

Need a minute? How about 30. Take time to center yourself with this calming playlist, designed to help you really drop in.

You’ve heard a lot about—and maybe even practiced—prenatal yoga, but how about prenatal meditation?

Is happiness a choice? Master yoga teacher and Purna Yoga co-founder Aadil Palkhivala, who began his study of yoga with B.K.S. Iyengar at the age of 7, believes it is. Here, he explains how focusing the mind and opening your heart can help you get there.

Looking to refresh your mindfulness practice? Step outside: The flowers blooming all around you can actually be powerful meditation tools.

Do you have to do asana first? Is it like hypnosis? Dharma Mittra answers YJ readers’ common queries about this deep relaxation practice.

Want a juicier, more meaningful flow? Shiva Rea sets you up with add-on rituals steeped in tradition.

What if we just decided to SLOW DOWN for the summer?

Over the last decade or so, we've been hearing that mind-body practices like yoga and meditation may affect our genes. A new review of the research solidifies it.

You may be comfy and relaxed, but trust us, you don’t want to sleep through the process of self-realization.

Struggle to quiet your mind? Maybe your pooch can help. One woman says her pet-centered meditation technique is an effective way to mindfully connect with both your pet and yourself.

Yoga Journal Master Class teacher Shiva Rea offers the practice below as a way to meditate on the life-giving energy of the sun (surya) with your whole body.

For starters, it can offer the benefits of an extra four (yep, four!) hours of sleep. Here, Dharma Mittra shares why this is the practice for modern times.

Connection with the breath is the core of any yoga practice, and especially important for finding calm.

Being hard on yourself? These tips from our partner, Meditation Studio, can show you how to practice self-compassion.

Taking a month or year off to make a spiritual pilgrimage is the kind of romantic endeavor some of us will only ever be able to dream about. But that doesn’t mean we can’t embark on an inner journey that leads to the same kind of transformation. Start one of these 30-day pilgrimages from wherever you are today.

This guided meditation is designed to help you feel that something has your back, so you can open your heart.

Prepare for a life-changing Sun Salutation practice with Shiva Rea’s Prana Flow pranams.

We reached out the authors of the recent Brown University study to unpack their findings.

Take your meditation practice to the museum with this mindful exercise in art observation.

Wherever it started, however long you've been buying into it, you CAN change drop your limiting beliefs about yourself and your body. Use this exercise to get started.

This contemplative meditation can be practiced regularly or whenever you feel overwhelmed, unstable, or emotionally shut down.

We can’t stop the waves from coming in and out of our lives, but we can learn to skillfully surf them when they do roll our way. Here are yoga and meditation teacher Coby Kozlowski offers tips and a meditation for navigating rough waters.

Meditation isn't a short-term prescription. It's a practice that continues day in and day out for the rest of your life. Here's how to play the long game.

It’s no secret that life can feel hard at times. This is especially true for empaths, who tend to be deeply affected by the energy of those around them, says Judith Orloff, MD, a Los Angeles–based psychiatrist and author of the new book The Empath’s Survival Guide.

Connect to higher consciousness and reach your full potential with this heart- and mind-opening asana and pranayama practice.

Yogis have used singing bowls for decades, but in recent years crystal alchemy bowls seem to be displacing the traditional Tibetan variety. Discover the healing power behind their sound.

In the following from our partner Meditation Studio, yoga and meditation teacher Ashley Turner suggests 6 steps to manifest what you want to create this springtime.

Let your meditation practice take you places you never thought possible.

Meditation can help you find your soul and heal your body. Here’s how to get started with a healing practice.

No time to meditate? Dr. Tiffany Lester of Parsley Health offers peace-producing solution you can practice wherever you are without a meditation cushion or timer.

There’s something about the new year that inspires a go-go-go attitude in most of us. But if the urge to take a break and hibernate strikes, give in, says Stephanie Brown, PhD. Turns out, there are some big benefits.

A meditation practice on how to find happiness, even in your darkest hour.

Once you know how to breathe mindfully, you can use the practice to help you through challenging times.

Just when you have the greatest need for meditation and the least amount of time to actually meditate, we have conveniently aggregated our best practices of the year. Happy holidays!

Hip-hop icon, record mogul, fashion designer, and author Russell Simmons just launched Tantris, a high-end activewear brand and yoga wellness center in West Hollywood. And he credits meditation with helping him create his vision.

Think you don’t have time for yoga during the holidays—much less 3-minute pose holds? Yoga Medicine teacher Shannon Stephens makes a case for why yin yoga may be the best practice for your busiest times.

Often during the holiday season we hear that to take care of others we must first take care of ourselves. Here's how to feel more ease and less drained.

Even your negative thoughts want you to find inner peace. Practice welcoming opposite thoughts in meditation.

Work stress. We all feel it, whether we're struggling to find 15 minutes for lunch or responding to emails at 10 p.m. But a regular mindfulness and meditation practice can help, says meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg.

Inspire your loved ones to enjoy a regular practice with the gifts on these pages, and they’ll reap the calming benefits now and for years to come.

Meditate on your feelings to get calm, grounded, and healthy.

If you're wrestling with monkey mind, there’s a new mindfulness practice that’s as effective as it is pretty: the DIY glitter jar.

Coral Brown, a licensed mental-health counselor and senior Prana Vinyasa Flow teacher, shares four great mudras for this time of year.

Meditation is a procedure of cleansing the mind and taking out the garbage in the subconscious. These three Kundalini practices passed down by Yogi Bhajan will help you release conscious and subconscious fears that cause stress, worry, and anxiety.

Leah Perlman's new book Drawn Together is a collection of the most beloved of these illustrations. Here, she shares 12 of her poignant comics.

After Elena Brower's mother passed this year, she found a deeper connection to her meditation practice and with her family.

Spiritual teacher Eiman Al Zaabi shares how the practice of inquiry can both calm the mind and help you find meaning.

This five-day practice will help you discover and embrace the power of sitting every day.

Practice moving your attention into your chest and heart space, where you receive and give love.

Meditating on your breathing can help you feel calm, grounded, and connected.

Enjoy robust breathing, a free mind, and a bird’s-eye view with a light heart.

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sequence will free up space for energy to flow, helping 
your organs function optimally for greater 
mental clarity and endurance.

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the relationship between your core and steadiness in preparation for meditation.

Meditate on physical sensations, known as bodysensing, in order to feel calm, grounded, and healthy.

Check out Richard Miller, PhD's author page.

Motivate yourself by dedicating a space for yoga inside your home. We have the five tips to create a meditation space that's perfect for you.